Rose sneaked up to Mia wearing a black mask and stole the $10 on the desk. Mia, meanwhile, was to busy to notice.

Just as Rose was gonna escape, though, Mia caught her.

" Where are you going?!" She accused.

Rose sighed and held her $ 10. " Trying to steal."

" Why?"

Jake appeared, wearing a similar mask. " Because we read somewhere to catch a crook, we need to be a crook."

Mia sighed. " And we do need to find that Ruby....."

She sighed. " Where'd you get the mask from?"

" I made it!" Nelson said, appearing from the hall.  He tossed Mia a mask. " We need to wear black clothes."

Mia sighed and stared at the mask. " Let's do it ."

_________

" I don't think this is a good idea." Mia said as she stood on the roof of the museum.

Nelson shot her a look. " First, code names. Second, we need to catch that criminal. If we have to become in the process, so be it."

Mia sighed. " Fine."
-----------
The team was back on the prowl for another stolen artifact, this time targeting a high-end jewelry store rumored to have recently acquired a rare gem. The plan seemed straightforward: infiltrate, retrieve the gem, and exit quietly. But as usual, things didn’t go as planned.

Inside the store, Mia, Nelson, Jake, Rose, and Annie, all dressed in black and sporting their masks, moved carefully through the dimly lit aisles. They had managed to bypass most of the security systems, but as they approached the display case containing the gem, an unexpected alarm blared through the store.

"Uh-oh," Nelson muttered, glancing at the alarm. "Code names, everyone. Remember, no elemental powers and don’t take off your masks."

Rose and Jake looked nervously at each other. “Uh, guys? We have trouble,” Rose said, her voice trembling slightly.

Before anyone could react, the Ninja—Jay, Kai, Zane, Nya and Cole—burst into the store, their eyes scanning the area for any sign of the intruders. The team quickly scrambled to hide, but the Ninja’s sharp eyes caught sight of their masked figures.

“Don’t move!” Jay commanded, his voice echoing through the store.

Nelson, realizing the predicament, tried to maintain their cover. “Storm, be a dear and get me some tea?” he said in an exaggeratedly squeaky voice.

Mia, pretending to be annoyed, responded, “Grandma, this isn’t home.”

The Ninja paused, their confusion evident. “What are you doing here?” Kai asked, squinting through his mask at the intruders.

Nelson pretended to groan. " Nothing, Nancy."

Annie, Jake, and Rose stifled their laughter, their attempts to suppress grins only adding to the absurdity of the situation.

“Let us go and no one gets hurt!” Mia said in her deep, dramatic voice, trying to sound menacing but failing to hide her smirk.

Zane, raising an eyebrow, asked, “Who are you really?”

“Uh, we’re just some very polite thieves,” Rose said, trying to sound serious but struggling to keep a straight face.

The Ninja exchanged glances, clearly puzzled by the odd behavior of their opponents.

Nelson, trying to diffuse the situation, added, “If you could just let us finish our heist, we’ll be out of your hair.”

Cole crossed his arms, looking skeptical. “Why should we trust you?”

Mia, in her best deep voice, said, “Because we’re not here to cause trouble. We just want the gem.”

Jay shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “This is ridiculous.”

Annie, unable to hold back any longer, let out a snort of laughter, which made the Ninja even more suspicious.

“Alright,” Jay said, finally relenting. “Let’s see what’s really going on here.”

Mia panicked.

" Uh.... What's behind you?" She asked, pointing dramatically.

The ninja , distracted, looked, while the five escaped.

When they realized what happened, it was too late.

" We need to catch those guys! They stole a gem!" Jay exclaimed.

Nya nodded. " We will. Soon."

As the Ninja scrambled to catch up, Mia, Nelson, Rose, Jake, and Annie sprinted across the rooftops, their hearts racing from the close call. The night air was brisk, and their masks flapped in the wind as they navigated the maze of buildings.

When they finally stopped, panting and catching their breath on the rooftop of an old warehouse, Mia let out a relieved sigh. “That was too close,” she said, adjusting her mask. “Next time, we’re bringing weapons. None of this sneaky stuff.”

Annie, still catching her breath, nodded in agreement. “Definitely. I didn’t expect the Ninja to catch on so quickly. We need to be better prepared.”

Nelson glanced around, making sure they were still safe. “We got lucky this time. But yeah, we need to up our game. Maybe some gadgets or something.”

Jake, looking a bit shaken, said, “That was intense. But I have to admit, it was kind of exciting.”

Rose, her nerves settling, added, “Just hope they don’t figure out who we are anytime soon.”

Mia grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Oh, they’ll figure it out eventually. But for now, we’ve got to lay low.”

Annie adjusted her gown and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “So, what’s the plan now?”

Mia looked thoughtful. “First, let’s get out of these masks and return to base. We’ll regroup and figure out our next move. And remember, keep your eyes open for any more surprises.”

As they prepared to leave, Nya, having tracked their movements from a distance, joined the Ninja on the rooftop. “They got away,” she said, glancing around. “But we’ll catch them next time.”

Jay nodded, his expression serious. “We need to be more vigilant. They’ve gotten bolder.”

Nya agreed. “We’ll be ready. They won’t get far.”

Back at their hideout, Mia and the team debriefed, discussing their next steps. They were determined to up their game and be ready for whatever came next, knowing they’d need all their wits and resources to stay ahead of the Ninja.

“Alright,” Mia said, her tone resolute. “Let’s gear up and get ready. We’ll show them what we’re really capable of.”

********

The next night, the rooftop of the museum was once again a hub of activity. Jake, Rose, Annie, and Nelson were decked out in their black attire and armed with a variety of gadgets and weapons. Mia, always the confident leader, looked at her team with a determined expression.

“Ready?” Jake asked, checking his gear.

Mia nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Ready.”

As they made their way down to the museum, they set off another alarm. The blaring siren filled the air, causing a moment of panic among the team.

Nelson groaned, “We’re bad at this.”

Mia quickly took charge. “Forget it! We’re already in trouble. Just stick to the plan. Remember, act like criminals!”

Annie and Rose nodded, ready to follow Mia’s lead. As they entered the museum’s main hall, they encountered a few startled guards and the Ninja who had arrived just in time.

“Alright, do gooders!” Mia shouted, her voice dripping with feigned arrogance. “You know the drill. Back away or face the consequences!”

Annie and Rose echoed her, adopting their own rough tones. “Yeah! We’re not messing around!” Annie added, brandishing a small gadget.

Rose followed suit, waving her weapon for emphasis. “So, you better stay out of our way!”

The Ninja, momentarily taken aback by their audacity, exchanged confused glances. Jay, taking the lead, tried to assess the situation. “What’s going on here?”

“Look,” Mia said, sneering in a dramatic fashion. “You’re not getting in our way. We’re taking what we came for, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

Nya sighed. “Alright, team, let’s handle this.”

As the Ninja moved in, Mia and her team attempted to create confusion, using their weapons and gadgets to create diversions. They darted around, attempting to snatch valuable items while keeping the Ninja occupied.

Nelson, trying to keep up, said with a shaky voice, “We should’ve planned this better.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Mia replied, trying to stay in character. “Just grab what you can and let’s get out of here!”

In the chaos, the Ninja managed to corner Mia’s group. Jay, still puzzled by their behavior, said, “You guys are really bad at this. Why are you even here?”

Mia, struggling to maintain her facade, shot a quick look at her team. “Forget it. We need to make a strategic retreat.”

The team scrambled back to the rooftop, their plan having fallen apart. They regrouped, panting and catching their breath.

“That was a disaster,” Jake said, clearly frustrated. “We need to rethink our approach.”

Mia nodded, her expression a mix of frustration and determination. “Yeah, but we’ll learn from this. Next time, we’ll be ready.”

Annie wiped the sweat from her brow. “And hopefully, we’ll get it right.”

Rose added, “I’m just glad we’re all in one piece.”

*****

The third night was bustling with activity as Mia and her crew targeted a high-end jewelry shop. Under the cover of darkness, they slipped in through a side entrance, their weapons and gear at the ready.

Mia took the lead, instructing her team as they worked swiftly to gather as many valuable items as possible. “Quickly, grab the jewels and let’s get out before anyone notices.”

Just as they were about to make their escape, the sound of sirens filled the air, and the Ninja burst into the shop. Lloyd, taking charge, shouted, “Trap them! They can’t keep getting away!”

Panic spread through Mia’s team. Nelson, his face pale, turned to Mia. “We’re not prepared for this.”

“Just keep moving!” Mia urged. “We need to stay focused.”

Jay, eyes flashing with determination, prepared to use his lightning powers to neutralize their escape. “I’m going to stop them right here!”

“No!” Mia shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. With a quick flick of her wrist, she unleashed a surge of lightning, deflecting Jay’s attack and blocking it with her own powers.

Jay’s eyes widened as he recognized Mia’s lightning. “Wait a minute… Mia?”

Mia, realizing their cover was blown, sighed and shrugged. “Oi, this is gonna be a long night. Come on, criminals. Let’s go.”

With the Ninja closing in, Mia and her team had no choice but to make a hasty retreat. They darted through the back alleys, narrowly avoiding capture as they regrouped on the rooftop.

As they caught their breath, Jay and the Ninja arrived, standing at the edge of the roof. “Mia,” Jay said, his voice a mix of frustration and relief, “we need to talk.”

Mia, still in her criminal disguise, rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I figured that much. This night’s been full of surprises.”

“Not just for you,” Lloyd added, crossing his arms. “You guys need to stop this nonsense. What’s really going on here?”

Mia hesitated, her facade slipping slightly. “We were just trying to—”

“Save it,” Jay interrupted, his tone firm. “We know who you are now. No more games.”

Annie, Rose, and Jake looked at Mia, concern written on their faces. “Mia, maybe we should just explain,” Rose suggested.

Mia sighed, knowing their cover was blown and their plans had unraveled. “Alright, fine. Let’s talk.”

Mia tossed her criminal disguise aside, her frustration evident. "Okay, listen up, gang," she said, addressing her team. "Tomorrow, we return the stuff. We might need to call the commissioner and explain everything. But tonight was a bust."

Nelson looked around, exasperated. "Real. Who knew being a criminal was such hard work?"

Rose, still catching her breath, nodded. "Mia, maybe we should tell your brothers why we’re doing this."

Mia’s eyes narrowed, her temper flaring. "Well, they're the smart ones. Why don’t they figure it out themselves?"

Without waiting for a response, Mia turned on her heel and stormed off, her frustration boiling over. The other four exchanged worried glances before rushing after her.

“Hey, Mia, wait up!” Rose called out, trying to catch up.

“Mia, come on,” Jake said, hurrying alongside her. “We need to talk about this.”

Annie, struggling to keep pace in her heels, panted, “Yeah, you can’t just run away from this.”

Mia, her steps growing heavier with each stride, finally stopped and faced them. “What’s the point? We tried to do something smart, something cool. It backfired, and now we have to fix it. Great.”

Nelson, putting a hand on her shoulder, said gently, “We’re in this together, Mia. If we messed up, we need to own up to it and fix it. But we can’t do it alone.”

Mia looked at her friends, their concern evident. She sighed deeply, her anger melting into resignation. “Alright, alright. Let’s figure this out. We’ll tell my brothers what happened and come up with a plan to set things right.”

Rose nodded, relieved. “That’s the spirit. We’ll make this right.”